Day 30, need some help for next steps
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 387
Day 30, need some help for next steps
Hi all,
I'm closing out day 30, and SR has been a big part of it.
Having read about how easy relapse is, I thought I'd ask a question: How do you freshen up your action plan? I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Thanks in advance.
KP
I'm closing out day 30, and SR has been a big part of it.
Having read about how easy relapse is, I thought I'd ask a question: How do you freshen up your action plan? I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Thanks in advance.
KP
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Awesome job on 30 days
For me when I was journalling I just wrote truthfully & honest it's helps to review past posts as it is to read past entries in your journal
So when I looked back I could see where I was going wrong and where I was going right & just kept trying to improve on myself
For me when I was journalling I just wrote truthfully & honest it's helps to review past posts as it is to read past entries in your journal
So when I looked back I could see where I was going wrong and where I was going right & just kept trying to improve on myself
A Smart Bug is a Sober Bug!
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Hot and Muggy South Florida
Posts: 1,396
Try writing out your new bucket list for everything you want to do now that you are sober enough to do it. You can come back to it to check off your accomplishments! I get seriously motivated by checklists and feel great about myself when I can say yes, I did that.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Originally Posted by keeppushing 
I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Journaling was a big part of my early recovery...still is.
I would encounter something written that would strike a cord with me, something recovery related and I would write about. It might be in an article, or a blog, or an SR post, or most often an inspirational quote. Then I would write about it.
For instance, I read this:
Despair, in short, seeks its own environment as surely as water finds its own level.
And it got me thinking. Despair is a huge part of addiction and a real impediment to recovery. What environment does despair seek? How has despair worked against me? How have I dealt with it? Can despair lead to relapse? So the questions might prompt a journal entry, or the quote itself will be so recovery related that I don't have to think of a question.
I've journaled about songs, movies, anything I can utilize as part of my recovery.
I've posted a couple of journal entries on SR, if you want to see an example:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ought-day.html
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,504
Good for you for getting through to Day 30 sober!
And, it's great you are looking for ways to improve and support your recovery. I think it's important to go with your feelings. Recovery isn't a straight line and writing about the ups and downs is helpful. My journaling in the early days was usually getting out my negative emotions - shame, guilt, anger - that sort of thing. Since then I've found a couple of very simple things - I try to manage random acts of kindness as often as possible, and writing about that encourages me to continue. I have also started to focus on doing something special for myself, usually something very small, but I had to force myself to learn to care for me.
And, it's great you are looking for ways to improve and support your recovery. I think it's important to go with your feelings. Recovery isn't a straight line and writing about the ups and downs is helpful. My journaling in the early days was usually getting out my negative emotions - shame, guilt, anger - that sort of thing. Since then I've found a couple of very simple things - I try to manage random acts of kindness as often as possible, and writing about that encourages me to continue. I have also started to focus on doing something special for myself, usually something very small, but I had to force myself to learn to care for me.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
For me the focus moved away from exclusively not drinkign to 'who is sober me and what do I want my life to be like?'
The answers didn't come straight away for me... the first 90 days were a little bumpy for me...but I made a start
D
The answers didn't come straight away for me... the first 90 days were a little bumpy for me...but I made a start
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 387
Originally Posted by doggonecarl
Congrats for looking ahead and working your recovery.
Journaling was a big part of my early recovery...still is.
I would encounter something written that would strike a cord with me, something recovery related and I would write about. It might be in an article, or a blog, or an SR post, or most often an inspirational quote. Then I would write about it.
For instance, I read this:
Despair, in short, seeks its own environment as surely as water finds its own level.
And it got me thinking. Despair is a huge part of addiction and a real impediment to recovery. What environment does despair seek? How has despair worked against me? How have I dealt with it? Can despair lead to relapse? So the questions might prompt a journal entry, or the quote itself will be so recovery related that I don't have to think of a question.
I've journaled about songs, movies, anything I can utilize as part of my recovery.
I've posted a couple of journal entries on SR, if you want to see an example:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ought-day.html
Journaling was a big part of my early recovery...still is.
I would encounter something written that would strike a cord with me, something recovery related and I would write about. It might be in an article, or a blog, or an SR post, or most often an inspirational quote. Then I would write about it.
For instance, I read this:
Despair, in short, seeks its own environment as surely as water finds its own level.
And it got me thinking. Despair is a huge part of addiction and a real impediment to recovery. What environment does despair seek? How has despair worked against me? How have I dealt with it? Can despair lead to relapse? So the questions might prompt a journal entry, or the quote itself will be so recovery related that I don't have to think of a question.
I've journaled about songs, movies, anything I can utilize as part of my recovery.
I've posted a couple of journal entries on SR, if you want to see an example:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ought-day.html
KP
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 387
Thanks for the congrats everyone. Also, thanks to DGC, Anna and Dee for their great suggestions.
Any one else who is just starting: day 30 is well worth the work to get here. It is, quite simply, sheer joy.
KP
Any one else who is just starting: day 30 is well worth the work to get here. It is, quite simply, sheer joy.
KP
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 387
Hi,
In case anyone is still reading, based on the feedback I came up with the following new prompts for journalling in case you find it useful:
Good stuff:
1. What did I do today that me feel good about myself?*
2. What positive thing did I do today that only happened because of SR?*
3. What positive thing am I looking forward to do that is possible only because of SR?*
Bad stuff:
1. Deep breathing.
2. Release.
3. What is making me feel bad?
1. Am I feeling discomfort? Am I feeling frustration?*
2. Am I feeling angry?*
3. Am I feeling scared? Am I feeling anxious?*
4. Am I feeling empty? Am I feeling helpless/hopeless? Am I feeling despair?*
5. Am I feeling hurt? Am I feeling resentful? Am I feeling victimised? Am I feeling rejected? Am I feeling ostracised? Am I expecting things from other people?*
6. Do I have self-worth issues? Am I worrying what people think?*
7. Am I attaching? To a job, to a reputation, to the material world? Am I feeling grief?*
8. Something else?*
4. What do I think triggered it?*
5. What is my reaction to the feeling?*
6. What is the thought that follows the feeling?*
7. Why is this thought linked to the feeling? What is the core belief?*
8. Is the core belief rational or irrational? Challenge it. What evidence supports it? What evidence is against it?*
9. What are some alternative thoughts and beliefs? Brainstorm, they don’t have to make sense.*
10. What is a useful alternative? Why?*
In case anyone is still reading, based on the feedback I came up with the following new prompts for journalling in case you find it useful:
Good stuff:
1. What did I do today that me feel good about myself?*
2. What positive thing did I do today that only happened because of SR?*
3. What positive thing am I looking forward to do that is possible only because of SR?*
Bad stuff:
1. Deep breathing.
2. Release.
3. What is making me feel bad?
1. Am I feeling discomfort? Am I feeling frustration?*
2. Am I feeling angry?*
3. Am I feeling scared? Am I feeling anxious?*
4. Am I feeling empty? Am I feeling helpless/hopeless? Am I feeling despair?*
5. Am I feeling hurt? Am I feeling resentful? Am I feeling victimised? Am I feeling rejected? Am I feeling ostracised? Am I expecting things from other people?*
6. Do I have self-worth issues? Am I worrying what people think?*
7. Am I attaching? To a job, to a reputation, to the material world? Am I feeling grief?*
8. Something else?*
4. What do I think triggered it?*
5. What is my reaction to the feeling?*
6. What is the thought that follows the feeling?*
7. Why is this thought linked to the feeling? What is the core belief?*
8. Is the core belief rational or irrational? Challenge it. What evidence supports it? What evidence is against it?*
9. What are some alternative thoughts and beliefs? Brainstorm, they don’t have to make sense.*
10. What is a useful alternative? Why?*
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 123
Originally Posted by keeppushing
Hi all,
I'm closing out day 30, and SR has been a big part of it.
Having read about how easy relapse is, I thought I'd ask a question: How do you freshen up your action plan? I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Thanks in advance.
KP
I'm closing out day 30, and SR has been a big part of it.
Having read about how easy relapse is, I thought I'd ask a question: How do you freshen up your action plan? I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Thanks in advance.
KP
I am on day 46. I committed to 30 days, and I had the same "Now what?" feeling you are apparently having. I made a thread about the 30 day mark, and honestly my AV was telling me to have a drink, I have conquered this! I got inspired and committed to another 30 days.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Originally Posted by keeppushing
Hi all,
I'm closing out day 30, and SR has been a big part of it.
Having read about how easy relapse is, I thought I'd ask a question: How do you freshen up your action plan? I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Thanks in advance.
KP
I'm closing out day 30, and SR has been a big part of it.
Having read about how easy relapse is, I thought I'd ask a question: How do you freshen up your action plan? I'd really like to add some structure to my journalling, any ideas on which new/non-standard questions to use?
Thanks in advance.
KP
A few ideas or info about what I do- I am hardcore AA and closing in on 6 months. Beyond working the steps (I am doing 4 now), learning to live a LIFE of its principles is m focus:
Every morning, I have a routine and I write the same 5 things on my Holy Day Planner, on each day, and cross them off as I do it:
Richard Rohr devotional - https://cac.org/sign-up/
Keep It Simple: Daily Meditations for 12 Steps Beginnings & Renewals (a Hazelden publication)
Read pp 85-88 and 417 of the Big Book - these are on God's Will being done and our spiritual growth, then on Acceptance
SR
HALT (on waking, I ask myself if I am Hungry/Angry/Lonely/Tired)
As I have gone along, I have expanded my am (and also later in the day/end of the day) activities to include some things like the following each day:
Andy Stanley videos/casts - today I watched the first in the Breathing Room series which is awesome and not just meant for Christians-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxjIdMCPbZk
Randomly reading a BB chapter that strikes me as I flip through
A "Secular" book - right now I've got The Untethered Soul (by Michael Singer) on deck - it is about our inner voice and dialogue, then deeper. I also love memoirs of alcoholism and addiction- my psych said once that my reading and studying these is like having my own mini AA session. There are certainly "success stories" (or warning tales!) from people who don't/didn't use AA, too.
This might seem like a lot of work but my morning norm has become a key part of my recovery success to date.
Keep going!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: NYC
Posts: 7
CONGRATS! I am currently working on that goal as well... Never been sober in 30 days in over, errrrrr 15+ years. I have a lot of respect for anyone that could reach that point, it is not an easy task to accomplish.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 387
Originally Posted by leemcsealy
CONGRATS! I am currently working on that goal as well... Never been sober in 30 days in over, errrrrr 15+ years. I have a lot of respect for anyone that could reach that point, it is not an easy task to accomplish.
KP
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 387
Originally Posted by August252015
Great job on 30 days! Do you have a recovery program in place? You mention keeping a journal...more formal like AA, SMART, etc?
It boils down to if I can stop my emotions from controlling me and find people unconnected with booze, then I forget about booze. Kinda why RL meetings are difficult and SR works: you can choose what to read in SR and avoid being triggered.
KP
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bern
Posts: 72
Originally Posted by keeppushing
Hi,
In case anyone is still reading, based on the feedback I came up with the following new prompts for journalling in case you find it useful:
Good stuff:
1. What did I do today that me feel good about myself?*
2. What positive thing did I do today that only happened because of SR?*
3. What positive thing am I looking forward to do that is possible only because of SR?*
Bad stuff:
1. Deep breathing.
2. Release.
3. What is making me feel bad?
1. Am I feeling discomfort? Am I feeling frustration?*
2. Am I feeling angry?*
3. Am I feeling scared? Am I feeling anxious?*
4. Am I feeling empty? Am I feeling helpless/hopeless? Am I feeling despair?*
5. Am I feeling hurt? Am I feeling resentful? Am I feeling victimised? Am I feeling rejected? Am I feeling ostracised? Am I expecting things from other people?*
6. Do I have self-worth issues? Am I worrying what people think?*
7. Am I attaching? To a job, to a reputation, to the material world? Am I feeling grief?*
8. Something else?*
4. What do I think triggered it?*
5. What is my reaction to the feeling?*
6. What is the thought that follows the feeling?*
7. Why is this thought linked to the feeling? What is the core belief?*
8. Is the core belief rational or irrational? Challenge it. What evidence supports it? What evidence is against it?*
9. What are some alternative thoughts and beliefs? Brainstorm, they don’t have to make sense.*
10. What is a useful alternative? Why?*
In case anyone is still reading, based on the feedback I came up with the following new prompts for journalling in case you find it useful:
Good stuff:
1. What did I do today that me feel good about myself?*
2. What positive thing did I do today that only happened because of SR?*
3. What positive thing am I looking forward to do that is possible only because of SR?*
Bad stuff:
1. Deep breathing.
2. Release.
3. What is making me feel bad?
1. Am I feeling discomfort? Am I feeling frustration?*
2. Am I feeling angry?*
3. Am I feeling scared? Am I feeling anxious?*
4. Am I feeling empty? Am I feeling helpless/hopeless? Am I feeling despair?*
5. Am I feeling hurt? Am I feeling resentful? Am I feeling victimised? Am I feeling rejected? Am I feeling ostracised? Am I expecting things from other people?*
6. Do I have self-worth issues? Am I worrying what people think?*
7. Am I attaching? To a job, to a reputation, to the material world? Am I feeling grief?*
8. Something else?*
4. What do I think triggered it?*
5. What is my reaction to the feeling?*
6. What is the thought that follows the feeling?*
7. Why is this thought linked to the feeling? What is the core belief?*
8. Is the core belief rational or irrational? Challenge it. What evidence supports it? What evidence is against it?*
9. What are some alternative thoughts and beliefs? Brainstorm, they don’t have to make sense.*
10. What is a useful alternative? Why?*
ignoring what I thought was "Psychobabble"
I am learning to understand. That is good
stuff. Realise what you have done, instead
of feeling bad about what you have done,
or not. It is very positive, thanks..
PS. Great work. 30 Days!!
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